Our Visit To Affinity Lancashire

Shopping and children, they don't usually mix well. Not in my case anyway! It can be stressful and result in very unsuccessful shopping trips. But what I've noticed lately is that shoppingcenters have started to offer more for the kids to do, in between shopping with their parents, which I think is a fantastic idea. Affinity Lancashire is one of those and this half term they've offered lots of Halloween crafts and activities for children to enjoy. Yesterday we were invited to enjoy the shopping experience with Affinity Lancashire and to take part in the Halloween fun.

Affinity Lancashire is located in Fleetwood, around a scenic marina. Although very beautiful, it's outdoors, and near the water, so it can be a little chilly. I’d recommend an extra layer when visiting at this time of year, and don’t forget your gloves too. It boasts over 45 popular stores, many outlets, all of which offer up to 60% off every single day. This makes Affinity Lancashire the ideal place to visit if you want to find the best savings.

Kids International Designer Store was our first stop because we decided to start at the far end of the center and work our way around. We were blown away with the choice of designer brands to choose from, all reasonably priced with 30% off and an extra discount when buying 4 or more items. The Carrement Beau display was absolutely stunning, with all the peach, beige, silvers and navy garments. I could have easily bought the entire collection for Ava.

After visiting a couple of stores we decided to let the kids enjoy a couple of the £1 rides which are dotted around the complex. Ava made a beeline for the Noddy ride and quite frankly, didn't want to get off it. What is with kids and these rides? We then spent some time on the outdoor playground, right in the middle of the center, which is a fantastic idea for a shopping center.

We then visited the owls which you can hold for just £2. They had quite a few different owl breeds to view, and even had a hawk too! Noah really wanted to hold the barn owl, but I think he's still a little young for that responsibility! Instead, he stroked one gently, and we popped some money into the donation box.

We don't have a GAP store near us and it's one of my favourite brands, especially for kidswear, so when I spotted the GAP Outlet, I had to visit right away! On entering the store I was greeted by a lovely member of staff who told me about the offer they had in store, a whopping 50% off EVERYTHING! Even sale items! This blew me away and I started shopping right away. I bought half a dozen things; a pair of jeans and a t-shirt for Nick, a hoodie, shirt and t-shirt for Noah, and a hoodie and long sleeve t-shirt for Ava and it cost just £68.00! In hindsight, I wish I had bought more!

We also visited The Fragrance Shop and the Hallmark Outlet to pick up some gifts for upcoming birthdays and Christmas. Both stores offered amazing deals and I'm really pleased with the perfume and Yankee Candle sets that I purchased. We then walked by Katie's, a quaint little tea shop which was celebrating it's grand opening that day. We were tempted in by the delicious looking cupcakes but it was very busy, so we'll have to pay a visit next time.

After we'd have our fill of shopping, it was the time for the part the kids were the most excited about, the creepy arts and crafts! This was located indoors, across from Katie's and gave us the perfect opportunity to warm up, whilst the kids had a bit of fun. The spooky crafts workshop offered lots of different activities for the kids of all ages to enjoy. They could make their own slime, create their own trick or treat bags, or enjoy a bit of spooky colouring. You can also collect a treasure map here to take part in the Trick or Treat Treasure hunt.

The kids then decided to have their faces painted, which again is free! With Ava being so young we opted for a simple cat nose and whiskers, to match her Halloween costume and Noah asked to be a green zombie! Just as the lady had finished painting Noah's face we noticed someone looking down at us through the window, it was Jack Skellington! It was great seeing these spooky characters walking around the shops on their stilts. They seemed to make everyone smile and really added to the Halloween feel of the place.

It was our first visit to Affinity Lancashire. Would we go back? Absolutely! It has everything anyone needs for a great shopping experience; top stores with fantastic savings, located in a beautiful setting, with a relaxed yet fun atmosphere. For information on Affinity Lancashire's opening times, directions, store lists or for further details on the Halloween activities, simply head to their website.

- We were given a voucher to spend at Affinity Lancashire, to help write this post, however, all opinions are my own.